California Health Interview Survey releases 2005 data
Biennial survey is the most comprehensive source of health information on Californians.
Los Angeles, CA - The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) today announced the release of data from its 2005 survey.
This will be welcome news to the many policy makers, researchers, health advocates, media and many others who rely on CHIS as the most comprehensive source of health information on Californians.
Conducted every two years, the survey provides information on hundreds of health topics, and the 2005 survey include new content that will make CHIS even more invaluable to those who rely upon it to improve the health of California's diverse communities.
The release of the 2005 data enables users to see trends across survey years," said E. Richard Brown, Ph.D., principal investigator of CHIS and director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. "With multiple years of rich data now available, we expect that we'll see CHIS having an even greater impact on health policy at the state, county and local levels."
Using CHIS 2005 will be easy. The first wave of CHIS 2005 data variables have already been incorporated into AskCHIS, the survey's popular, user-friendly web tool. Additional variables will be added in the coming weeks. Available at no cost, AskCHIS allows user to quickly obtain survey statistics for hundreds of health topics and trend data across survey years. Users can also break down their results by geography, age, race/ethnicity and many other demographic variables. Those with the capability to analyze the raw data can also download CHIS 2005 public use files free-of-charge, and view accompanying technical documentation.
CHIS 2005 includes data on hundreds of health-related variables such as health status, health insurance coverage, access to care, chronic health conditions, cancer, dental health, neighborhood and housing, parental involvement, hunger and much more. Some of the unique attributes of the CHIS 2005 survey include:
New content on mental health, as well as diet and physical activity.
Significantly larger child sample.
Robust data for 41 individual counties.
"The CHIS 2005 data will be a tremendous asset to state and local health officials who want to build upon their successes and target future efforts to make a healthier life for all Californians." said Sandra Shewry, director of the California Department of Health Services. CHIS 2005 conducted surveys in all of California's 58 counties.
The data includes interviews with 45,649 households: 43,020 adults, 4,029 adolescents and 11,358 children. It has sizeable samples for Whites, Latinos, Asian Americans, African Americans, American Indians, and others, as well as robust samples of Asian American and Latino subgroups.
"This data will be critical to policy makers as they work toward developing a viable health care reform plan for the state," said Robert K. Ross, M.D., president and CEO of The California Endowment.
Funding for CHIS 2005 has been provided by the California Department of Health Services; The California Endowment; the National Cancer Institute; First 5 California; the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; the California Department of Mental Health; the California Office of the Patient Advocate; Kaiser Permanente; San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency; Marin County Department of Health and Human Services; First 5 Marin Children and Families Commission; Center for Public Policy Research at the University of California, Davis; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Solano County Health and Social Services Department; and the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services. The California Endowment provides funding for the AskCHIS query system.
The California Health Interview Survey is a collaboration of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the California Department of Health Services and the Public Health Institute. The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research is one of the nation's leading health policy research centers and the premier source of health-related information on Californians. The Center is based in the UCLA School of Public Health and is affiliated with the UCLA School of Public Affairs.
Loran Archer comments:
The CHIS 2005 alcohol use variable has been revised to reflect gender differences.
2005
"For 2005, binge drinking is defined differently for both males and females. For males, binge drinkers are those that have had five or more drinks on at least one occasion in the past month.
For females, binge drinkers are those that have had four or more drinks on at least one occasion in the past month.
This variable is restricted to:
Asked of all adults and adolescents who ever had more than a few sips of alcohol. Male binge drinking is five or more drinks on one occasion in past month, female binge drinking is four or more drinks."
